Automobile-indicator.



w. H. SPENCER AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.17,I9I4.

Patented Dec. 14-, 1915.

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W, H. SPENCER.

AUTOMOBILE INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 11. 1914.

Lwgfigg. Patented Dec. 14-, 1915;

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WILLIAM H. SPENCER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE FRANKSPENCER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMOBILE-INDICATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 14, 1915.

Application filed August 17, 1914. Serial N 0. 857,236.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SPENCER, a citizenof the United States,and residing in the borough of Manhattan, city, county,

.and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Auto mobile-Indicators, of which the following is a fulland clear specification.

This invention relates to automobile indicators, by means of which theintentions of an automobile driver may be signaled to others in therear.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved device ofthis character which will be readily discernible at considerabledistance, accessible to the driver of an automobile and which in asimple and eiiicient manner can be made to indicate any desired numberof signals, such for example as Right, Left, Stop, etc.

One of the objects is to provide improved means for keeping the signalfree of dust.

Other and further objects will appear in the specification and bepointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevationof anautomobile tail-light and license plate together with my improvedindicator Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same; Fig. 3 is afragmentary view in elevation of the steering post of theautomobile'showing the preferred indicator-controlling means. Fig. 4 isa transverse section of the same. Fig. 5 isa View similar to Fig. 3 butat right angles thereto, parts being broken away and parts shown insection; Fig. 6 is an axial section of the indicator drum in itspreferred. embodiment, parts being shown in elevation.

Referring more particularly to the draw-. ings, the indicator 1 isconnected by a flexible member 2 with a slide 3 which is reciprocablymounted on the steering post 4 of the automobile, said flexible member 2being passed around the guide'pulleys 5 which are disposed at suitablepoints.

Referring to Figsal and 2, the upper end 6 of a fixed bracket or supportis adapted to receive the socket end 7 of a bracket arm 8 which isvertically adjustable on the support 6. The bracket arm 8 is providedwith an upper socket 9 within which is adj ustably mounted the standard10 which in the present embodiment serves to mount a tail-light 11 whichis ordinarily employed witha. colored lens 12 presented rearwardly. Atransparent plate'or lens 13 is provided in the bottom wall of thetail-light to illuminate the license sign 14 which is adjustably securedto a bar 15 by means of the thumb nuts 16. Projecting rearwardly fromthe socket end 7 of the bracket arm 8 is a yoke 17 within the branchesof which is j ournaled a spindle l8. Said spindle 18 carries a flattenedcylindrical drum or indicator 19 keyed thereto. The flattened walls ofsaid drum or indicator are adapted to receive such legends as Right,Left, Stop, etc. In the normal, at rest position of the indicator, oneof the flattened surfaces may be made to show the legend Signal.

As shown in Fig. 2, the axis of rotation of the indicator is suitablydisposed with respect to the tail-light 11 so that the illuminationtherefrom will fall upon whichever sign surface is at that time inposition. For this purpose, means are provided for holding the indicatorin any one or a plurality of signaling positions, with the sign surfaceat an angle as shown in Fig. 2. As

shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6, the indicator drum 19 has rigidly securedthereto a spool or drum 20 which is adapted to have a flexible member 2wound thereon, one end of said flexible member being secured at 22to.-the flange 23 of said spool or drum. Yieldable means for returningthe drum to initial position after each release may be provided by aspring 24 which is coiled about the spindle 18, having one end securedto said spindle at 25 and the other end secured at 26 to a flange 27which is rigidly secured to the other end of the drum. It will be seentherefore that whenever the flexible member 2 is drawn from the drum 20,the drum 19 will be rotated against the resistance of the spring 24.Suitable controllingmeans are preferably providedin the form shown inFigs. 3, 4 and 5 in which the steering post 4 carries a tube 28, saidtube being mounted thereon by means of the bands 29. Said tube 28 isprovided with the longitudinal-slot 30. Along one edge of said slot saidtube is provided with notches 31, 32 and 33' into which a radiallyprojecting handle .34, which is carried by the slide 3, is adapted tofit. The free end of the flexible member or cable 21 is secured to oneend of the slide 3.

wiper 37 which contacts with the signbearing surfaces as the indicator19 is rotated on its axis. Said arms are pivoted at 38 in the bracketarms 17 and under the action of springs 39 serve to press the wiperagainst the indicator.

The operation is as follows: Normally the radial handle 32 rests at thebottom end 35 of the slot 30, the word Signal being presented rearwardlyas indicated on Fig. 1.. \Vhenever said handle 32 is elevated by thepower driver and displaced laterally into one of the notches 31, 32 or33, one of the other sign-bearing surfaces of the indicator drum will berevolved into position to indicate Right, Left, Stop, etc., according tothe intention of the car driver. \Vhen sufficient time has elapsed torender the signal thus given of no further use the handle 32 may berotated in the opposite direction when the pring within the drum 19 willcause it to be drawn to the-bottom end 35 of the slot 30.

WVhat I claim is:

1. In an automobile, the combination with a fixed support having spacedbranches, of an indicator journaled at opposite ends in said branches,means for rotating said indicator. a wiper for said indicator, and armsmovably mounted on the branches of said support, said wiper having itsends secured to said arms, and means yieldably pressing said wiperagainst the peripheral surface of said indicator.

2. The combination with a sup-port provided with spaced branches, of anindicator journaled at opposite ends in said branchesw means forrotating said indicators, a wiper extending parallel to the axis of saidindicator, said wiper being movably mounted on said support, and meansvieldably pressing said wiper against the peripheral surface of saidindicator to clean its sign-bearing: surface while said indicator isbeing rotated,

said wiper being provided with spaced sup porting arms pivoted to saidbranches respectively.

WILLIAM H. SPENCER.

Witnesses:

W. H. Ricnn'r'rs, ALEX.- C. MATTESON.

